In response to the recent announcement of Google’s plans to lay off thousands of workers, the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) has criticised the company’s decision.
The AWU, which represents a small but growing group of Google employees, has been vocal in its opposition to the layoffs, arguing that the decision will greatly harm the company’s workforce and its ability to innovate.
Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. announced on Friday that it will be laying off 12,000 workers, which represents about 6 per cent of its global workforce. “The fact that these changes will impact the lives of Googlers weighs heavily on me, and I take full responsibility for the decisions that led us here,” Pichai said in a company-wide email.
According to the AWU, the layoffs will disproportionately affect lower-level employees, while executives and upper management will be largely unaffected. The union also argues that the layoffs are unnecessary as Google is one of the most profitable companies in the world and could easily afford to keep its workers employed.
Over 1,200 people are part of the unofficial trade union which was started in 2019 with the intention of organising and empowering employees at Google. They have called out Google on multiple issues in the past including harassment and pay transparency.
According to a statement by the union, “While Alphabet leadership claims ‘full responsibility,’ that is little comfort for the 12,000 workers who are now without jobs. This is unacceptable behaviour for a company that made $17B in profits last quarter alone.”
The AWU also criticised the company’s lack of transparency regarding the layoffs, stating that Google has not provided any clear explanations for why they are necessary. The union called on Google to be more open and transparent about its decision-making process and to provide more support to affected employees.
The AWU also highlighted the layoffs’ impact on the communities, as Google is one of the largest employers in many regions and the layoffs will have a significant economic impact on the people who live and work in those areas.
In addition, the AWU pointed out that the layoffs come at a time when Google is facing increasing pressure from regulators and lawmakers over issues such as antitrust and worker rights. The union argues that the layoffs will only further damage the company’s reputation and will make it more difficult for Google to address these concerns.
Google has not made any official statement regarding the union’s statement or claims.
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